Film reel



W. F. MARTIN Oct. 17, 1967 FILM REEL Filed Aug. 1, 1966 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,347,486 FILM REEL William F. Martin, 808 Scott St., Beaufort, S.C. 29902 Filed Aug. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 569,317 8 Claims. (Cl. 24274.2)

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the hub construction of a reel of a type which is structurally designed and properly adapted to reel in or pay out an elongated strip of thin ribbon-like plastic tape such as, for example, a roll of motion picture film, recording machine tape, and the like.

Briefly, the reel proper herein shown comprises a pair of openwork reel heads having opposed spaced parallel discoidal hub portions provided between themselves with a ring-like band suitably fixed in place to thus provide a hollow spool on which the film can be wound either clockwise or anti-clockwise, as the case may be, and thus stored and confined between said heads. Instead of providing a restricted diificult-to-use film-end threading slot in the band for insertion and withdrawal of the filmend, uniquely improved slot means and film-end locating and clamping means is provided.

Persons conversant with film-end holding and releasing devices are aware that many and varied adaptions have been recommended for use by prior patentees. For example, McQuistons reel 2,191,489 provides elongated slot means to hold the terminal portion of the fihn against displacement while winding but which functions to automatically release when the film unwinds and which minimizes the likelihood of rupture and breakage of the filmend. The appropriation and use of an inturned film-end backing jaw or abutment at the end of a slot and a pivoted binding clamp which is trippable, spring-loaded and triggered against the film-end and abutment is revealed as analogous prior art in the film reel fastener of Rahfuse, Patent 2,638,284. Other prior art could, but seemingly need not, be cited and exemplary of the art to which this invention relates.

An object of the present invention is to structurally, functionally and in other ways improve upon prior art film-end attaching and releasing devices and, in so doing, to provide an advance in the art which is possessed of the capability of reducing to a minimum the possibility of any sudden jerk when the terminal end of the film is pulled free from the hub-band so that disruption or damage to the film is virtually prevented whether the paying out or unwinding step is clockwise or counterclockwise.

In carrying out the principles of the present invention novel and improved pull responsive spring biased filmend orienting, clamping and releasing lever means is utilized. This simple and feasible lever means is housed or encased in the hollow portion of the hub and has an inner end which is pivotally supported between the opposed discoidal hub portions of the heads and has an outer trippable free-end which is located and operates within the confines of the coacting slot and is accordingly adapted to swing toward and from and clampingly engage either one of the abutments at the left and right hand ends respectively of the slot in a manner to retentively but releasably clamp the aforementioned film-end between itself and a selected one of the abutments.

To the ends desired, a simple, fiat-faced lever is utilized. This lever may be referred to as generally U-shaped in elevation. Therefore, it embodies a flat-faced bight portion and a pair of like coplanar legs. The free end portions of the legs are provided with outstanding axially alined assembling trunnions. These trunnions are pivotally journaled in bearing holes provided therefor in the respectively cooperable hub portions of the heads of the reel. The bight portion is transformed into and provides a jaw-like head with fiat faces for coaction with the flatfaced abutments at the ends of the slot.

Further novelty is predicated on the adoption and use of an anchoring pin which spans the space between and is fixed to the aforementioned hub portions. The biasing spring is a simple coil spring which is situated in the space between the respectively cooperable legs and has an outer end portion which is pinned to the clamping head and an inner end portion which is secured to the anchoring pin. By utilizing a spring of requisite length and tension which is proportional with the legs and capable of tripping the overall lever, the spring serves to automatically swing the lever to the left and right respectively of an imaginary dead center line whereby the jaw resides in a spring-biased position against either selected abutment.

The invention also features the provision of either one or two arcuate openings or apertures in the hub portions which apertures are oriented with the abutments and film-end slot. These apertures serve to accommodate outstanding lugs on the legs which lugs project sufficiently to serve as simple finger pieces to assist in tripping the U-shaped lever to assume a spring-held position at the right or left (FIGS. 1 and 3) as desired by the user.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a film reel con structed in accordance with the present invention with the film omitted.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view with parts in section and elevation taken approximately on the plane of the section line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a suitably enlarged sectional view on the section line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

And FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of the pull responsive film-end binding and clamping lever by itself with the biasing spring omitted.

The reel heads, which are alike in construction, are denoted by the numerals 6 and 8 respectively. These heads are of customary open-work construction and made of suitable sheet material and are of appropriate circular or disc-like form and the central part of each head is provided with a discoidal hub portion, the one at the left in FIG. 2 being denoted by the numeral 10 and the one at the right by the numeral 12. An annular band, which is also of sheet material, is denoted in FIG. 3 by the numeral 14, the same being provided with laterally bent tabs or cars 15 which are riveted, screwed or otherwise fastened to the hub portions as at 18. It will be noted in FIG. 3 that the terminal end portions of the band 14 are laterally bent radially inward into the hollow hub as denoted at the left to provide a first abutment 20 and at the right to provide a similar but second abutment 22. Thus, a slot 24 ranges between the two abutments. In addition and in alignment with the slot arcuate auxiliary slots or apertures are provided as at 26, one in each head portion. It will be further noted more particularly in FIG. 2 that the marginal edge portions of the apertures 26 are bent inwardly, that is indented to provide endless lips 28 of general ovate form which coact with the sweeping marginal edge portions of the spring-loaded or spring-biased pull responsive lever unit 30. This lever is of general U-shaped form as shown in FIG. 4 and accordingly has a flat-faced bight portion 32 with a convex free edge 34. In addition, duplicate spaced legs are provided at 36 and each leg is provided at its lower end (FIG. 4) with an outstanding circular journal or trunnion 38. These trunnions are journaled in bearing holes 40.(FIG. 2) provided therefor in the manner shown whereby to permit the lever to swing from left to right relative to the head portions and slot 24. The median portions of the legs are provided with noncircular outstanding lugs 42 which are slidingly and accessibly keyed in their apertures 26 to provide suitable finger grips to facilitate switching the toggle-like lever unit 30 from left to right. The edge portions of the legs are cut out as at 44 to provide clearance for the aforementioned indented lips 28. A crosspin 46 is provided for the attachment thereto of the upper end portion 48 of a suitably tensioned biasing coil spring 50. The lower end portion 52 of the spring is anchored on an anchoring pin 53 which is securely riveted in the head portions in the manner shown best in FIG. 2.

In the event that the film is intended to turn clockwise the user threads the film-end to the left in FIG. 3, that is between the abutment 20and the jaw-like clamp or retainer 34. The coil spring exerts tension at this time and automatically swings the overall lever 30 from right to left, that is beyond the imaginary dead center line in FIG. 3. On the other hand and in the event that the film is intended to turn anti-clockwise the film-end wouldbe threaded between the abutment 22 at the right of the slot 24 at which time the lever unit would then be swung over from the full line to the phantom or dotted line position there shown. With this construction it will be evident that the means is designed to release the film when the reel is reversed. The spring-loaded automatic releasing film clamping lever 30 functions to permit the desired end result to be attained while, at the same time, insuring against damage to the filmend. Experience has shown that satisfactory results can be achieved with the construction shown when the film and component parts, except the spring, are made from satisfactory lightweight sheet metal, aluminum or mold,- able plastic materials. By having arcuate auxiliary slots or openings 26 at both left and right sides of the reel and providing accessible finger pieces 42 therein it will be evident that the lever unit can be tripped or triggered from either side of the reel with the aid of the properly oriented spring-biasing means.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly :all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as. claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use in winding and unwinding a strip of thin ribbon-like plastic tape such as, for example, motion picture film: a film reel comprising, a pair of spaced parallel reel heads having centralized hub portions provided with a fixed intervening ring-like band defining a hollow film reeling spool, said band provided with circumferentially spaced terminal end portions directed radially inward into the hollow space between said hub portions and defining selectively usable left and right film-end seating and binding abutments and an intervening elongated film-end inserting and withdrawing slot ranging between said abutments, and a full responsive spring-biased film-end orienting clamping and releasing lever located and having an inner end pivotally supported between said hub portions and an outer trippable free end locatedwithin the confines of said slot and adapted to swing toward and from and clampingly engage either one of said abutments in a manner to retentively but releasably clamp the aforementioned film-end between itself and a selected one of said abutments.

2. The reel according to claim 1, and wherein the outer free end of said lever is convexly rounded to minimize damage to that portion of the film which is trained thereover and engageable therewith.

3. The reel according to claim 1, and wherein the outer free end of said lever is convexly rounded to minimize damage to that portion of the film which is trained thereover and engageable therewith, and also wherein the biasing spring comprises a coil spring having an inner end connected to an anchoring pin fixed between said hub portions and an outer end joined to a coacting portion of said lever.

4. The, reel according to claim 1, and wherein said lever is substantially U-shaped in elevation and embodies a flat-faced bight portion fashioned into and providing a jaw-like head and also embodying a pair of like coplanar legs, the free ends of said legs having axially alined outstanding assembling trunnions which are pivotally journaled in bearing holes provided therefor in the respectively cooperable hub portions, an anchoring pin spanning the space between and fixed to said hub portions, said biasing spring comprising a coil spring situated in the spacebetween the respectively cooperable legs and having an outer end pinned to said head and an inner end secured to said anchoring pin.

5. The reel according to claim 4, and wherein said spring is of a length and prescribed tension that it coordinates with the anchoring pin and overall lever, particularly the head and legs, that it functions to automatically cock and hold the lever in a position (1) to the left or (2) to the right, respectively, of dead center, whereby to clampingly orient with the left and right abutments, respectively, and to thus facilitate winding and releasing the film be it coiled for clockwise or, alternatively, anti-clockwise rotation of the reel.

6. The reel according to claim 5, and wherein at least one ofthe reel heads is provided with an elongated arcuate aperture and the leg which is adjacent thereto is equipped with an outstanding finger actuatable trip lug, said lug being accessibly and operably keyed to ride back and forth in said aperture.

7. The reel according to claim 6, and wherein the marginal edge of said aperture is indented to provide a lip protruding into the space between saidheads, said adjacent leg having friction engagement with said lip.

8. The reel according to claim 5, and wherein said reel heads are provided with elongated arcuate apertures opposite and alined with each other, said legs being swingable in an arcuate path adjacent to their respectively cooperable apertures, the latter providing guideways, and

said, legs having finger actuated trip lugs which are alined with and are adapted to ride from left to right and vice versa in their respectively cooperable guideways.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,638,284 5/1953 Rahfuse 242--74.2

FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

N. L. MINTZ, Assistant Examiner. 

1. FOR USE IN WINDING AND UNWINDING A STRP OF THIN RIBBON-LIKE PLASTIC TAPE SUCH AS, FOR EXAMPLE, MOTION PICTURE FILM: A FILM REEL COMPRISING, A PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL REEL HEADS HAVING CENTRALIZED HUB PORTIONS PROVIDED WITH A FIXED INTERVENING RING-LIKE BAND DEFINING A HOLLOW FILM REELING SPOOL, SAID BAND PROVIDED WITH CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED TERMINAL END PORTIONS DIRECTED RADIALLY INWARD INTO THE HOLLOW SPACE BETWEEN SAID HUB PORTIONS AND DEFINING SELECTIVELY USABLE LEFT AND RIGHT FILM-END SEATING AND BINDING ABUTMENTS AND AN INTERVENING ELONGATED FILM-END INSERTING AND WITHDRAWING SLOT RANGING BETWEEN SAID ABUTMENTS, AND A FULL RESPONSIVE SPRING-BIASED FILM-END ORIENTING CLAMPING AND RELEASING LEVER LOCATED AND HAVING AN INNER END PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED BETWEEN SAID HUB PORTIONS AND AN OUTER TRIPPABLE FREE END LOCATED WITHIN THE CONFINES OF SAID SLOT AND ADAPTED TO SWING TOWARD AND FROM AND CLAMPINGLY ENGAGE EITHER ONE OF SAID ABUTMENTS IN A MANNER TO RETENTIVELY BUT RELEASABLY CLAMP THE AFOREMENTIONED FILM-END BETWEEN ITSELF AND A SELECTED ONE OF SAID ABUTMENTS. 